The House managers want to call Vernon Jordan to explore the issue of whether President Clinton enlisted his friend and confidant to find a job for Monica Lewinsky to buy her silence.

Ms Lewinsky has testified that she was never promised a job, but Republicans want to know why someone as important as Mr Jordan would help a former White House intern.

Mr Clinton's legal team has argued that Mr Jordan's help began about six weeks before Ms Lewinsky learned she was a possible witness in the Paula Jones case. Ms Lewinksy testified that she had discussed with her friend Linda Tripp the idea of asking for Mr Jordan's aid.

Mr Clinton's lawyers say Mr Jordan began to help Ms Lewinsky at the direction of Betty Currie, a longtime friend of Mr Jordan's. In his grand jury testimony, Mr Jordan firmly denied any connection between Ms Lewinsky's job search and her affidavit in the Jones case. 'Unequivocally, indubitably no,' he said.

Ms Lewinsky began looking for a job in July 1997, after being told - wrongly - by one of Ms Tripp's friends at the National Security Council that she would never again get a job at the White House.

Mr Jordan helped her to find a job at Revlon, the cosmetics giant, but the job offer was rescinded after the scandal broke last year.

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